Nicky Hayden, the 2006 MotoGP world champ, had his American coming-out party on January 23 at a SoCal Ducati dealership. We had a chance to sit down with him and ask him about the upcoming season riding the Desmosedici GP9 for Ducati instead of his longtime employer, Honda.
The signing of Hayden to the Ducati Marlboro MotoGP team is big news for both the racer and the manufacturer. For Ducati, this is the first time an American has served on the elite GP team, so Ducatisti on both sides of the pond will be keeping sharp eyes on the progress of the eminently likeable Hayden. And there'll be no excuses from the machinery, as Casey Stoner, Hayden's new teammate, won the 2007 MotoGP title on a Ducati and finished runner-up to Valentino Rossi in '08.
More:
Nicky Hayden Interview on Motorcycle.com